Marrying and Sponsoring a Moldovan Citizen

Marriage to a Moldovan citizen and spousal sponsorship to Canada under the Family Sponsorship stream is a complex process.
This page is designed to guide you through your marriage to a Moldovan citizen and the spousal sponsorship process.

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Marriage to a Moldovan Citizen

Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Moldovan citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.

If you want to bring your Moldovan spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for a visitor visa. For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our visitor visa page.

Moldovan Marriage Basic Requirements

Moldova marriage is considered to be one of the holy occasions in the country. For those who want to get married in Moldova one is required to contact the marriage registration offices in person in order to be equipped with every bit of relevant information in order to make the marriage process easier and successful. By visiting the Marriage registration offices, parties who want to get married will be informed on the laws that govern such a marriage and the documentary evidence that must be made available. The parties will also be informed on the amount of marriage tax they should pay

Requirements

Firstly, the bride and groom need to register at a Civil Status Office (ZAGS). This is where the wedding ceremonies are held. Presently, the foreign citizens have to pay a "marriage tax" for getting married in the territory of Moldova. The Romanians and the CIS citizens, usually pay a small amount of tax whereas for the Americans and Canadians the tax is doubled. In Chisinau it is approximately $900, whereas the tax in a small town in Moldova roughly is around $80-$90. If you are planning to get married soon the best source from where you can obtain information is the ZAGS office.

The documents required in Moldova marriage registration include the proof of holding no criminal record. According to the Moldovan law, one should first register at the Office of the Civil Condition, and thereafter wait for at least one month and one day in order to get approval of getting married after thorough background check has been contacted on the parties to such a marriage.

Foreigners also will need some extra documents in order to marry in Moldova as required by law

A foreign citizen must provide the following documents to the registrar office in Moldova with his wife-to-be;

Calling Moldova from Canada

011 - Exit code for Canada, and is needed for making any international call from Canada

373 - ISD Code or Country Code of Moldova

Area Codes for some major centres of Moldova

Balti

231, 331

Comrat

298, 398

Soroca

230, 330

Cahul

299, 399

Dubasari

215, 315

Taraclia

294, 394

Chisinau

22, 32

Orhei

235, 335

Tiraspol

533

Ceadir Lunga

291, 391

Ribnita

555

Ungheni

236, 336

Calling Canada from Moldova

Dial 00 - 1 - area code - local number

List of Canadian Area Codes

Province

Code

Province

Code

Alberta

403 / 587 (southern Alberta)

587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta)

Nunavut

867

BC

236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC)

236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver)

Ontario

226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario)

249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario)

289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area)

343 / 613 (eastern Ontario)

416 / 647 (Toronto)

807 (northwestern Ontario)

Manitoba

204 / 431

PEI

782 / 902

New Brunswick

506

Quebec

418 / 581 (eastern Quebec)

438 / 514 (Montreal)

450 / 579 (Greater Montreal)

819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec)

Newfoundland and Labrador

709

Saskatchewan

306 / 639

Northwest Territories

867

Yukon

867

Nova Scotia

782 / 902

Time Difference

Moldova is on Eastern European Time (GMT+2). Europe observes Daylight Saving Time over a slightly different period than Canada, so there is are two week-long periods - in March and October - when the below time differences are not correct. Saskatchewan does not observe DST, so in the summer add one hour.

In Moldova, you can call the police by dialling 902 and medical emergency services by dialling 903.

The Government of Canada's Travel Alerts for Moldova

Moldovan Money

The leu is the currency of Moldova. Like the Romanian leu, the Moldovan leu is subdivided into 100 bani. The name of the currency originates in Romania and means "lion".

Between 1918 and 1940 and again between 1941 and 1944, when Moldova was part of Romania, the Romanian leu was used also in the eastern part of Moldava. The Moldovan leu was established on 29 November 1993, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the independent republic of Moldova. It replaced the older cupon currency at a rate of 1 leu = 1000 cupon+.

In Transnistria, a partially recognized state claimed in whole by Moldova, the Transnistrian ruble is used instead.

Coins

Coins consist of 1, 5, 10, and 25 bani in aluminium and 50 bani in aluminium-bronze. Aluminium 50 bani, and nickel-plated-steel 1 and 5 leu coins were issued in 1993 but have been withdrawn from circulation.

Banknotes

There have been two series of Moldovan leu banknotes. The first series was short-lived and only included 1, 5, and 10 lei. The front of all of these notes, and all subsequent notes feature a portrait of Ştefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great, also known as Stephen III of Moldavia), the prince of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. The first two lines of the Mioriţa (The Little Ewe) ballad appear on the back, printed vertically between the denomination numeral and the vignette of the fortress. The Mioriţa is an old Romanian pastoral ballad considered one of the most important pieces of Romanian folklore. The lines “Pe-un picior de plai, Pe-o gură de rai” translate as “Near a low foothill, at Heaven’s doorsill.”

1 Leu

The Moldovan 1 Leu banknote, like all Moldovan notes, depicts Stephen III on the front who was Prince of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504 and the most prominent representative of the House of Mușat. On the back it depicts Mănăstirea Căpriana which is a monastery in Căpriana, Moldova, located 40 km north-west of Chişinău, in a hilly land once called Codrii Lăpuşnei.

5 lei

On the back it depicts Biserica sf. Dumitru din Orhe.

10 lei

On the back it depicts Mănăstirea Hârjauca.

20 lei

On the back it depicts Cetatea Soroca.

50 Lei

On the back it depicts Mănăstirea Hârbovăţ.

100 Lei

On the back it depicts Cetatea Tighina.

200 Lei

On the back it depicts Chişinău Mayoralty.

500 Lei

On the back it depicts Chişinău Cathedral.

1000 Lie

On the back it depicts the Presidency building,

Wedding Traditions in Moldova

The practice of weddings in Moldova includes the moments when young people separate from their social groups. Additionally, there is the separation of the bride from her parents which is followed by her joining the bridegroom's family. Lastly, there is the union of the two young people and the integration of the bride into her new family. (Prior to the marriage is the betrothal which is followed by a long process of acceptance towards the prospective couple by the existing group of those who are already married.

The wedding is performed with well-established rituals. Poetry, song, dance and ceremonial costumes all have a detailed role in the wedding ceremony. This ceremony begins when the spokesman of the bridegroom comes to the bride's home to woo her. During this time, the best men go throughout the village inviting the relative and friends to the wedding.

Then, before the closed gates guarded by the bride's relatives, the bridegroom's best man tells a story. It is the story of a young emperor who gathered a great army and went hunting. While hunting, he saw a fairy and sent his warriors to look for her. Following the fairy's trail, they arrive at the bride's house. They have been told that there is a certain flower in the garden. This flower cannot bear fruit because of the unsuitable soil in which it grows. The warriors came to pick the flower and plant it in the young emperor's garden. There, the soil was known to be good and provide the nutrients enabling the flower to bear fruit.

The dress and hairdressing of the bride is also important. She wears a ceremonial costume and flowers in her hair. In some parts of Moldova, the bridegroom must pass a test of cleverness. He must solve a series of riddles in order to prove that he is able to be part of the married community.

The entrance of the bride into the community of married women is marked by a change of her hair style, and the covering of her head with a scarf. The scarf is a symbol of the married women. This ceremony is also accompanied by a song.

Just as for a medieval meal, the wedding meal provides an opportunity for singing, dancing and listening to epic hero songs. Dance forms, especially for the young people, are an essential part of the wedding, as well as the birth ceremonies.

One dance, called a "hora" marks the decisive moments of the ceremony. It is a seal of the marriage contract. The above wedding ceremonials activities in Moldova last for three days. The final day ends with a "dance of masks."

Wedding Food

Mămăligă

Mămăligă is a porridge made out of yellow maize flour, traditional in Romania and Moldova. It is similar to the Italian polenta.

Sarma

Sarma is a savory dish of grape, cabbage or chard leaves rolled around a filling usually based on minced meat, or a sweet dish of filo dough wrapped around a filling often of various kinds of chopped nuts. It is found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire from the Middle East to the Balkans and Central Europe.

Religion in Moldova

Religion in Moldova is separate from the state in that it is much different from any other state religion in Western Europe. The Constitution of the Republic of Moldova provides for freedom of religion, and the national government generally respects this right in practice; however, the law includes restrictions that at times may inhibit the activities of some religious groups.

The generally amicable relationship among religions in Moldovan society contributes to religious freedom; however, disputes among various branches of the Christian Orthodox faith continue.

The primary religion is Christianity, 90% of the population nominally being Eastern Orthodox. Administratively, there are two autonomous churches belonging to two autocephalous churches (Russian and Romanian) within the Eastern Orthodox communion. The autonomous Metropolis of Chişinău and Moldova (belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church), according to the State Service on Religious Issues, has 1,194 parishes; the Metropolis of Bessarabia (belonging to the Romanian Orthodox Church) has 124 parishes. In addition followers of the Old Rite Russian Orthodox Church (Old Believers) make up approximately 3.6 percent of the population. The religious traditions of the Eastern Orthodoxy are entwined with the culture and patrimony of the country. Many self-professed atheists routinely celebrate religious holidays, cross themselves, and even light candles and kiss icons if local tradition and the occasion demand.

The Soviet government strictly limited the activities of the Orthodox Church (and all religions) and at times sought to exploit it, with the ultimate goal of destroying it and all religious activity. Most Orthodox churches and monasteries in Moldova were demolished or converted to other uses, such as warehouses, and clergy were sometimes punished for leading services. But many believers continued to practice their faith in secret.

Adherents of other faiths in Moldova include Roman Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahá'ís, Jews, Unification Church members, Molocans (a Russian group), Messianic Jews (who believe that Jesus was the Messiah), Lutherans, Presbyterians, Hare Krishnas, and some other charismatic Christian and evangelical Christian groups. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) has 2 congregations, and a combined total of approximately 250 members. According to the most recently available numbers, the Jewish community has approximately 31,300 members, including approximately 20,000 living in Chişinău; 3,100 in Bălți and surrounding areas; 2,200 in Tiraspol; 2,000 in Bender; and 4,000 in small towns.

Despite the Soviet government's suppression and ongoing harassment, Moldova's Jews managed to retain their religious identity. About a dozen Jewish newspapers were started in the early 1990s, and religious leaders opened a synagogue in Chisinau; there were six Jewish communities of worship throughout the country. In addition, Moldova's government created the Department of Jewish Studies at Chisinau State University, mandated the opening of a Jewish high school in Chisinau, and introduced classes in Judaism in high schools in several cities. The government also provides financial support to the Society for Jewish Culture.

Citizens in independent Moldova have much greater religious freedom than they did under the Soviet regime. Legislation passed in 1992 guaranteed religious freedom but did require that all religious groups be officially recognized by the government. In 1992 construction or restoration of 221 churches was under way, but clergy remained in short supply.

Churches in Moldova

Romantic, Scenic and Historic places in Moldova

Hotels

Bella Donna Hotel - Chisinau

Situated in Chisinau, this hotel is close to Rose Valley, Government House, and Holy Gates. Also nearby are Cathedral Park and National History Museum.

Situated near the airport, in the city centre, this hotel is close to Rose Valley, Government House, and Parliament House. Also nearby are Presidential Palace and Cathedral Park.

In addition to a restaurant, Edem Hotel features a sauna. Other amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access and 24-hour room service.

Guestrooms open to balconies with city, garden or pool views and feature televisions with satellite channels and complimentary wireless Internet access.

Maxim Pasha Hotel - Chisinau

Situated near the airport, in Chisinau, this luxury hotel is close to Valea Morilor, Government House, and Parliament House. Local attractions also include Presidential Palace and National History Museum.

In addition to a restaurant, Maxim Pasha Hotel features an indoor pool. Other amenities include a bar/lounge and massage/treatment rooms.